"Robbie hasn't had the pre-season preparation and he'll play when he's ready," said Jones.
"He's not far off, but playing him when he's not right will damage him and bring nothing to the team.
"We all know I haven't got enough firepower, I'm looking around but the problem is the prices being asked."
City lost top-scorer Michael Chopra to Sunderland in the summer, the £5m man scoring a dramatic injury-time winner on his debut, Saturday's Premiership opener against Tottenham.
"Maybe I'm to blame for the prices by messing up the market when I sold Chopra," said Jones.
"Southampton want £5m for Kenwynne Jones - we haven't got that sort of money, but that's the type of player we need, someone who can break it up for us."